Equestrian “


We also keep the blowers away from the housing on raceday clear-ups, and our sweeper is a big help in


clearing up as it is quieter


Scott Midwinter (Scotty), Clerk of the Course Richard Osgood and Head Groundsman Steve Robinson have clocked up plenty of experience at Newbury between them


courses, this has had no effect on the drainage. However, continual rain will defeat even the best drainage and, in spring 2016, the wet conditions accounted for the April flat meeting. “We had a late jumping fixture on 1-2 April


The new approach road bridge Development timeline


Summer 2015: development of the new Rocking Horse Nursery and the Lodge


Autumn 2015: Planning permission gained for further developments


Winter 2015: New bridge over the Great Western Railway completed


Summer 2015: Redevelopment begins


Autumn 2016: Premier Arch and old nursery demolished


Winter 2016: New saddling boxes and pre-parade ring construction


Spring 2017: Newbury Suite owners’ and trainers’ facility and racecourse offices constructed


Summer 2017: Outdoor landscaping around new areas


Autumn 2017: Phase two - Berkshire Stand renovated and conference areas upgraded


Racing to continue as normal throughout!


and we were actually concerned that it was going to be too dry for that, only to lose a flat meeting two weeks later in the month!” says Richard. “Yet, in September, we had 70mm of rain overnight, changed the official going to heavy and in the end raced on soft.” The predictably unpredictable weather has


also influenced fertiliser policy, with Richard preferring to use straight fertiliser products rather than more costly slow release formulations.


Judicious mowing also helps to boost turf


health, helping it withstand stress and resist pests and disease, he suggests. “We don’t cut too short - a longer sward is more resistant to frosts and drought and can make better use of rainwater or irrigation. The flat track is cut to 10cm and, in the season, the national hunt tracks are at 14cm, which also provides more of a ‘pad’ for the horses’ hooves.” An Opico grass harrow also helps to stand


the sward up as well as taking out further debris. Head groundsman Steve Robinson is looking into minimising compaction on the track, avoiding rolling as much and regularly spiking. Steve, who has been at Newbury for


fifteen years, leads a team of eight, plus a Stable Manager, and the squad fields plenty


of experience with tractor driver Barry Mason having worked at the course for thirty-eight years and fence builder Scott Midwinter for twenty-one years. Richard Osgood has also been at Newbury since 1979 and lived on site at one time, so the grounds team is emotionally invested in the course. And they certainly embrace change - many


courses exist cheek-by-jowl with housing, but there is a feeling of responsibility for the neighbours at Newbury. “We try to start work away from the


western end of the course - when the staff are irrigating in the summer, they can be in at 5.30am,” explains Richard. “We also keep the blowers away from the housing on raceday clear-ups, and our sweeper is a big help in clearing up as it is quieter. We are looking at electrically powered equipment to minimise our impact further.” With new sponsor Ladbrokes announced


for the former Hennessy Gold Cup and the Winter Festival meeting as Pitchcare went to press, it’s clear that the industry, as a whole, is also very much in favour of how Newbury is building its future.


A purpose designed washdown area drains into a sump where contaminated water is pumped to a treatment plant


74 I PC FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017


Looking to the future…continuing building work will add five further apartment blocks to the development


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